Risk Factors

Certain diseases, medications, and surgical procedures may weaken the immune
system and increase your risk of getting fungal infection, which can lead to
fungal meningitis. Premature babies with very low birth weights are also at
increased risk for getting Candida blood stream infection, which may spread to
the brain.

Living in certain areas of the United States may increase your risk for
fungal lung infections, which can also spread to the brain. For example, bird
and bat droppings in the Midwestern United States may contain Histoplasma, and
soil in the Southwestern United States may contain Coccidioides.

African Americans, Filipinos, pregnant women in the third trimester, and
people with weak immune systems are more likely to get Coccidiodes infection,
which is also called valley fever.

Signs & Symptoms

Diagnosis

If meningitis is suspected, samples of blood or cerebrospinal fluid (near the
spinal cord) are collected and sent to a laboratory for testing. Knowing the
specific cause of meningitis is important because the severity of illness and
the treatment will differ depending on the cause.

To confirm fungal meningitis, specific lab tests can be performed, depending
on the type of fungus suspected.